


this is nuts, but be a little bit more boulder

by athletiger



Series: this is definitely nuts [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animals, Dogs, Fluff and Crack, Golden Retriever!Steve, Multi, Squirrel!Tony, Squirrels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2019-11-12 06:11:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18005351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athletiger/pseuds/athletiger
Summary: Fluffy mini-installments post-"this is nuts, but be a little boulder."





	1. Chapter 1

“Move closer to me,” Steve says out of the blue.

Tony is huddled between Steve’s front legs, not cuddling him at all (he's  _not_ ) as they watch Peter and MJ ride upon Bucky’s back. Peter is excitedly directing Bucky to go this way and that while MJ sits behind Peter, feigning disinterest. Slightly further away, Clint is barking up a tree where a cat is settled upon its lowest branch, and the cat is looking down at the dog with haughtily amused eyes.

“Nat, you can’t stay up there forever!” Clint exclaims, putting his front paws upon the rugged bark before he bounces on his hind legs in a poor attempt to reach her.

She licks a paw. “I can’t?” she challenges, before she extends her front legs and arches her back.

“I’m going to get you back for bopping me on the nose!”

“And I have Tony’s stash of rocks.”

“What?” Tony yells out. He isn’t sure if his outburst is for Steve’s comment or for Nat’s, but he’s feeling a bit flabbergasted, infuriated, and surprised. He looks between Steve and Natasha, moving his head side to side until it feels as if his head is about to fall off. Finally, he says, “Nat! Leave my stash alone!” before he turns to Steve again. “What did you just say?”

Steve moves his head closer to Tony, then stops short when Tony moves back out between Steve’s paws and hisses. “I said, ‘Move closer to me,’” Steve repeats gently. “I can’t always protect you when you’re out here, so move to the tree that’s closer to Sam’s place.”

Tony sits on his haunches. “I don’t need protection Steve. I can protect myself. Besides, I like it here because I can toss rocks at stupid dogs."

“I know, but remember Hammer?”

Tony remembers the incident well enough, and the scars from that ordeal sends phantom pains down his body. Luckily, Steve’s right there to drag Tony back into his embrace, holding him gently between his paws until Tony’s body stops shivering.

“You have a point,” Tony finally admits. “But are there nuts by Sam’s place?”

Steve promises, “Lots of it. I’ll even collect them with you.” Steve looks down at Tony with bright blue eyes, tongue lolling out in hope and eagerness. "Will you come home with me?"

Before Tony can open his mouth, their sweet moment is interrupted by a shrill yell of Clint, and they look over to see Clint’s nose buried between his paws and Natasha walking away back towards her human who is standing at the edge of the field. Besides her human stood Sam and Clint's human, all calling them by name.

Clint grumbles between his paws, “I can’t believe she bopped me on the nose again!”

“It’s probably your own fault,” Bucky replies as he walks past him, padding after Natasha. Peter and MJ has not slipped down like before when the dogs (and cat) prepared to leave, and they don't seem inclined to leave their positions either.

“It’s not!” Clint retorts, chasing after Bucky. “Nat tossed a rock at me with extreme prejudice!”

Steve huffs in amusement at their antics before he settles down and nuzzles Tony again. As Steve stands up, he says with a happy smile, “If anything, your friends are already packed up and ready to go." He gently nudges Tony to look at Rhodey, Pepper, and Happy crawling down the tree, cheeks bulging with what is most likely nuts.

“You guys already knew?” Tony asks, dismayed and feeling slightly betrayed. As one, they shrug, and they crawl up Steve's fur to settle on his back. Tony humphs and glares at them.

(But really, he’s not that torn up about it – he gets to see Steve more often now.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For [fluffypanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffypanda) because she wrote 3 sentences of animal au, and I took it to mean squirrel!Tony.

Steve takes one look at Tony and promptly bursts out laughing.

An acorn bops him on the nose. Hard. Steve deserves it.

“What are you laughing at?” Tony grumbles, pelting another acorn into Steve’s stupid laughing mouth when it is clear he isn’t going to stop any time soon. Steve’s golden fur ruffles as he shakes with laughter, and the acorn falls right out of his open mouth. Tony snatches the acorn back (they’re a precious commodity, okay?) and butts him against his chest. He is lucky he only gets off with two thrown acorns, although it has been a while since Tony used them as weapons.

“Tony,” Steve says, strangled. His eyes are filled with mirth. “Your fur…”

Tony looks behind him and he bristles at the sight. Well, he bristles as much as he can with his already puffed-up fur.

“What happened?” Steve asks, finally calming down for the most part, though giggles still spill out from his mouth at random moments.

Tony noses at his fur, but the fur stays stuck up stubbornly. He huffs, turning away. “It was windy while I was out foraging.”

Steve traps the squirrel between his paws and noses into the stuck-up fur. Tony should be used to it by now, Steve nosing his way into his fur, but it is always a weird sensation in the beginning for Steve to lick his back with one motion and spit out a mass of leaves, twigs, and dirt from his back. Tony tries to squirm away, but Steve holds Tony down. “Hold still!” Steve says, tail wagging, before adding another big slobbery lick. 

Tony’s fur puffs up where it isn’t plastered down with dog drool. “Stop it! I can groom myself!”  

“I know you can, but I like doing this for you.” Steve gently shoves his wet nose under the fur on his neck and nuzzles there, scenting him and claiming him as his own. Tony hardheartedly bats at the offending nose before he turns around and presses his own nose to the dog’s.

“Fine, but only because I like you,” Tony replies, turning back around and letting Steve groom his fur. “But only where my fur is sticking up.”

“Of course,” Steve vows, eagerly licking along his back again. But they both know better: Tony loves to be groomed by Steve once he gets used to the wet dog drool, and Steve loves spending time with the squirrel whenever work doesn’t get in the way. And Steve had been out for nearly four days, so this is a cherished quiet moment for them. They sit on the grass under the tree, everything falling into the wayside as Steve cares for him and protects him. He doesn’t need all of this, but it’s nice to be taken care of once in a while.

Tony fall into pure bliss while Steve grooms him, dozing and cuddling the larger dog as Steve cleans his fur.

All of his fur, because Steve is dumb.

(Tony doesn’t mind, not really.)

And when he’s done, they fall asleep together under the breeze of the autumn wind, taking comfort in each other.


End file.
